Chapter 189: Lady Crimson Blood

I gradually woke up to the sounds around me.

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I found that El and Ashera were already awake.

Mom was still drooling and didn’t seem about to wake up.

However, since she was an A-rank adventurer, she reacted instantly to “murderous intent”.

The moment I directed my “murderous intent” at my mother, she jumped up, holding a cane and glaring at me with a movement that made it hard to believe she had been drooling.

“Good morning.”

Mom looked around, then a vein bulged on her forehead and she started to get angry.

“Al! I told you not to wake me up with bloodlust! You ruined my nice little sleep!”

I shrugged my shoulders and replied.

“Didn’t I say that if you didn’t wake up, I’d use murderous intent?”

“That’s just what Al said, I never agreed to it!”

“Because, Mother, no matter how hard I try to wake you up, you won’t wake up…”

“Well… it might be a little hard for me to wake up, but… if you try a few times, I’ll wake up.”

I looked at my mother with blank eyes.

“W-what…?”

“I understand. Next time, I’ll try to wake you up normally three times. If you still don’t wake up, I’ll start using murderous intent.”

“Well, at least make it five times!”

“Four times. No more than that.”

“I understand… Al’s so stiff about the strangest things…”

After changing my clothes, I went out of the tent with El, but I couldn’t see any Mantises.

It was the night before last that the Mantises and the others had been freed from their master’s spell. As of today, it had been a day and a half.

It seemed that the number of Mantises was gradually decreasing, and at some point we’d have to go on the offensive and open up the elven village. I couldn’t leave the elves and the others at Blue Ring forever.

I also had to think about whether to destroy the Miasma Stone there or leave it alone…

With so many problems still piling up in my mind, I returned to the tent, where the women had probably finished changing their clothes.

While eating breakfast, I asked my mother about our plans going forward.

“Mother, the number of Mantises is gradually decreasing. We have to take back the elven village at some point.”

“I see. They’ve probably already passed the mountain pass. I don’t think the town of Sandra will have any problems with just the Knights.”

“That’s right. I guess it’s about time for us to move.”

“…Let’s talk to the Knight Commander after we eat breakfast.”

“Understood.”

While I was talking to Mom, there was some noise outside. It sounded like they were arguing about something.

Mom looked around at El, Ashera, and Laila, signaling them to be a little careful.

Even though we were allies, this was another lord’s territory. If something went wrong, we’d have no grounds to complain even if we were cut down.

The voices of conflict got closer and closer. We completely switched our mindset and prepared ourselves so that we would be safe even if a battle started right away.

Everyone, it seemed, was giving off a slight murderous intent.

The voices outside went quiet, and I could hear a knight’s nervous voice.

“I-I’m sorry to disturb you… Lady Sandra is here.”

Miria, the first wife? I wondered if the matter was urgent enough for her to force her way in like this…

When I looked at my mother, she nodded once. My mother must have been wondering what kind of business it was, just like me.

“Understood… Please have her enter the tent… However, I’d like the lady to come in alone…”

“Well, the lady’s son is also with her…”

Even Okoya? Maybe something really had happened.

“Understood. Please have the lady and her son come in.”

“Thank you.”

After the knight finished speaking, the tent flap was flung open roughly.

As the knight had said, the lady and her son came into the tent…

It was certainly Lady Sandra, but it wasn’t Miria, the first wife. It was Liezas, the second wife, and Louis.

“Are you the Royal Shadows?”

All of us except Laila didn’t know what to do, and we immediately turned our masked faces away and started sweating…

“…What’s wrong? Why aren’t you replying?”

Ms. Liezas looked at us, who didn’t say a word, with suspicion.

“Hey. Why aren’t you saying a word? Are you looking down on me because I’m a demon?”

Liezas was gradually slipping into angry mode…

While I was wondering what to do, I suddenly heard a voice.

“Aldo… what are you doing…”

It was Louis. He spoke to me in his usual exasperated tone.

The sound of his voice was exactly the same as when he called out to me, exasperated, whenever I was causing trouble at the guild.

“I-I think you’re confusing me with someone else… I-I’m not that super cool guy…”

“It’s you. Who says that about themselves? To begin with, Aldo doesn’t look that great.”

“Why, you! Not only me, now you’ve even made an enemy of El!”

“Elphas probably has nothing to do with it!”

“Bah! El and I are twins. We must have the same face.”

“…If you say so… but it’s strange. Even though you’re supposed to have the same face, Elphas gives off a sense of intelligence.”

“Oh, isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

“Ah, sorry. I’m sure I said a little too much.”

When I finally calmed down after bickering with Louis, everyone around me was looking at us with shocked eyes.

“Ah… I’d appreciate it if you didn’t ask me anything about this…”

It was all I could do to say that to Ms. Liezas.

While Ms. Liezas was making a strange face, we heard a knight’s voice from outside.

It appeared to be an attack by the Mantises.

I could hear voices calling for us, the “Royal Shadows”.

We jumped out of the tent and looked in the direction the knight indicated.

The number of Mantises seemed to be gradually decreasing, and the group was about half the size of the one that had attacked at the beginning.

With a group of this size, even with the rolling terrain around Sandra, they could be wiped out with one shot of Condense Ray.

Louis and Liezas would see Condense Ray, but desperate times called for desperate measures…

“I’ll shoot.”

When I said that, Liezas started speaking angrily.

“What are you talking about? There’s no way you can do anything about that many with one or two magic shots! You’re being too arrogant just because you’re a dragon slayer!”

To be honest, I didn’t have time to explain things in detail.

“Please. Please just believe me and watch…”

I’m sorry, but I spoke a little sharply and had to shut her up… I’m sorry, Master Liezas.

As usual, I pointed my right index finger at the group of Mantises and supported my right hand with my left.

Louis and Liezas watched in amazement as the condensed light gradually grew larger.

After condensing it for about 30 seconds, I muttered.

“I’ll shoot!”

I swept the ray of light from left to right…

“Flame.”

The herd of Mantises went up in flames, and I could say with certainty that not a single one was left alive in them.

A huge “flame” was manifesting before my eyes.

“W-what… is this…”

Ms. Liezas’s eyes went wide, and she squeezed out a mutter.

Louis’s eyes widened in the same way, but the light of reason still shone in them as he burned this result into his mind.

Louis mumbled as if he were in a fever…

“Aldo… could I use this magic too?”

“…I don’t think it’s possible.”

“I see…”

“…”

Louis’s voice sounded regretful, but his interest in this magic didn’t seem to have faded in the least, and he kept staring at the heat haze left by this ultimate magic…

After firing Condense Ray, I explained to Knight Commander Fagil, Liezas the second wife, and Louis that we were heading to the elven village to subjugate the Mantises…

As expected, Liezas and Louis asked to accompany me.

“I’ll go with you.”

“Of course, take me too.”

Commander Fagil looked at Liezas and Louis, surprised that they spoke to us so casually.

“Ah. We, the “Royal Shadows”, don’t need anyone to accompany us. Leave the rescue of the elves to us, the “Royal Shadows”, and everyone, please protect Sandra.”

I made a point of emphasizing “Royal Shadows”.

“Besides, we’ll all be traveling through the air.”

Louis questioned my words with a surprised face.

“You’re all going to run through the air?”

“Ah, all of us… All five of us here run through the sky…”

“So it’s completed…?”

I didn’t miss Louis’s small murmur.

At that moment, Louis realized that the air step magic tool he’d been lent earlier was complete.

Commander Fagil’s suspicious gaze was bothersome…

I tried to make eye contact with Louis, asking him to “do something about Commander Fagil”.

Although Louis had a troubled look on his face, he gave a small nod and turned to Commander Fagil.

“Knight Commander Fagil. It’s fine if only my mother and I talk with the Royal Shadows. The Royal Shadows and the others will be leaving soon. Organize the knight order and the magic division immediately.”

Commander Fagil turned toward us with a surprised look on his face.

“Thank you so much for your help, Royal Shadows. You are the saviors of Sandra.”

With that said, Commander Fagil left the tent.

Right outside the tent, I heard Commander Fagil yelling. As Louis had said, they were probably hurrying to get organized.

“…Well, now we can talk, right? Aldo.”

“That’s right…”

“I can more or less guess about you guys from the name “Royal Shadows”. I won’t ask about that. Other than that… the magic from earlier, the blue stone floating there, what happened to the Sandra territory, what happened to the elven village, what you plan to do from now on… as much as you’re able to tell me. Can you tell me?”

“The only things we can talk about are what happened to the Sandra territory and what we’re going to do from now on. We can’t tell you everything. Is that okay?”

“Oh, please.”

I told them that the Mantises had appeared in the Great Serpent Forest and explained the current situation.

Of course, the Apostles and the heart of the matter, the mana spot, stayed hidden. It was also a secret, of course, that the elves were taking refuge in Blue Ring.

Neither Louis nor Liezas tried to find out what we were hiding.

As for our “plans from now on”, I clearly explained that we would annihilate the Mantises as thoroughly as possible, that I wouldn’t use Condense Ray because I had no intention of destroying Sandra’s territory, and that anyone who couldn’t use air step would have a hard time accompanying us, since we planned to rest up in the trees.

“That’s the thing. If you can’t use air step, you won’t be able to rest, and you won’t be able to evacuate temporarily either.”

“I see…”

Louis stared at the Ice Witch’s feet, curiously observing what kind of magic tool she was using.

“…Louis, next time.”

Louis nodded with a big smile on his face.

“Okay. Next time!”

I thought we could head to the elven village now, but I’d forgotten that there was a troublesome person there.

“Wait a minute!”

It was Liezas…

“Aldo-kun, Rafina, you’re not going to say you’re leaving me behind, are you?”

Actually, for about a year now, my mother, Liezas, and Naga had often been going out together.

Sometimes they went on adventures together, sometimes they had an elegant tea party, and sometimes they just hung out in the living room of the Blue Ring residence…

They could best be described as good friends.

Those were Liezas’s words. It seemed that even the Ice Witch couldn’t brush them off lightly.

“If Al says it’s fine.”

Hey! She’s pushing it all onto me!!

Liezas stared at me.

For the past year, Liezas had been my greatsword master. It was very hard to say no.

“I told Louis too, but if you can’t use air step… it’s a little…”

“We’re going to annihilate them anyway, right? If that’s the case, just carry us a little while you’re taking a break.”

Hmmm… Maybe it was because of her age, but she wasn’t as easily won over as Louis.

When I looked at my mother, she shrugged her shoulders.

Eh, what should I do about this…

Just when I was really in trouble, Louis threw me a lifeline.

“Mom, we’d only be a drag on them.”

Ms. Liezas turned to Louis and spat out words with murderous intent.

“Louisbell… Are you saying that I, the ‘Crimson Blood’, am a drag?”

“Ah, that’s right. Mother is weaker than anyone else here. Even weaker than me, of course…”

Liezas’s hair seemed to stand on end.

“Louisbell! I’ll show you that you can’t take back the words you spat out! Step outside!”

Louis shrugged his shoulders and followed Liezas. As he was leaving the tent, he whispered, “Go now,” and laughed lightly.

After hearing Louis’s words and looking at each other’s faces, everyone seemed to be ready.

“Then, let’s be on our way. Just to be safe, we’ll use air step to pass through the places horses can’t go. Please follow us.”

Everyone smiled and nodded.

Let’s leave “Crimson Blood-san” to Louis and head to the elven village.